- Apple’s iOS 18.4 beta lets users change their default mapping app
- The new feature is only available to people based in the EU
- iOS 18.4 is in beta but should launch fully by early April
Apple is known for keeping a tight grip on its operating systems, but that resolve has been tested by the European Union (EU) in recent years. Now, Apple is being forced to concede another point and allow its users to change their default mapping app on iOS.
The change is due to arrive in the iOS 18.4 update, which is currently available as a beta. However, there’s a big catch: the new feature will only be available to users in the EU, meaning anyone in the US and around the world will miss out for now.
If you are located in the EU and have the latest iOS 18.4 beta, you can make the adjustment by opening the Settings app and going to Apps > Default Apps > Navigation. There, you will be able to change you default map app from Apple Maps to Google Maps, Waze, or something else.
It’s not all bad for US users, though, as Apple has made a slight allowance here. If you’re based in the US, the iOS 18.4 beta lets you change the default translation app in iOS. This can be found in Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Translation. This feature is also available to users in the EU and worldwide.
Apple vs the EU
The past couple of years have seen the EU force Apple to make changes to its operating systems and open them up more to competition. Apple must now allow sideloading and alternative app stores on its systems, for example – something that seemed impossible just a few years ago.
Enabling users to change their default mapping app is just the latest instance of this scrap between Apple and the EU. It comes in response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act and was originally revealed in an Apple document in fall 2024. Now, it’s come into effect.
For now, the only way to change your default map app – aside from being based in the EU – is to have downloaded the iOS 18.4 beta. The full version of iOS 18.4 is expected to launch in April, according to an Apple press release.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
